For every Christian, the journey of life will have times of trouble. Too often, we view these troubled times as if the Lord has moved far away from us. But it is in the hardest of times when the Lord is closest to us, and we can always trust that He is there.
You don’t have to fear the unknown when the God you know has you. “The Lord will lead you. He himself is with you. He will not fail you or leave you. Don’t worry. Don’t be afraid!” (Deuteronomy 31:8 ERV).
When we say that we are safe in the hands of God, we are most certainly right. There is no safer place one can be but to be held firmly in the grip of Jesus. Those nail-pierced hands are divinely capable of holding everything together that seems to be falling apart in our lives.
If you have nothing but Jesus, you have everything you need. “You, Lord, are all I have, and you give me all I need; my future is in your hands” (Psalm 16:5 GNT).
There will be times when the Lord is using the tools of adversity to make a change in our lives. We will be going through things that appear to be tearing us apart when, in fact, the Lord is putting us back together. We must learn to trust Him the most in the worst of times.
A sculptor uses the hardest tools to make the greatest impact. The Lord does the same with your circumstances. “But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand” (Isaiah 64:8 NKJV).
When God sees you, He sees the man or woman He has created in His own image. He knows your imperfections but yet He sees all that you can be. God knows you cannot make yourself into something new, so He will do it for you.
With God’s help, you can live as high as you want to. “Yes, it is God who is working in you. He helps you want to do what pleases him, and he gives you the power to do it” (Philippians 2:13 ERV).
When we are first wonderfully saved, we find ourselves in the blessed place of spinning on the Potter’s wheel. He has us safely in His hands as we happily spin in His presence. His touch is gentle, and His voice is calm, and we rest in the comfort of His touch.
Only an eternal God can satisfy your eternal longings. “You will make known to me the way of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:11 NASB).
There comes a time when the Lord knows we are ready to be changed into something new. He will pull His gentle hands away, and then He will make a fist so that He can crush us to His liking. He does not crush us to destroy us but to make us into something new.
Sometimes, God won’t change your circumstances until the circumstance changes you. “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make” (Jeremiah 18:4 NKJV).
When the Lord strikes a man or woman, He is preparing them to be formed into something new. The old vessel must be smashed into a lump of clay before it can be formed into something new. It is when we are reduced to a lump of clay that we wonder why God would allow it to happen.
The Lord will break you to change you if that is what it takes. “…’ Can I not do with you as this potter?’ says the Lord. ‘Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand…’” (Jeremiah 18:6 NKJV).
We have a choice in every adversity: we can be bitter about the experience and where we are, or we can be trusting in God with where He is taking us. We can trust the Lord in every circumstance, no matter how difficult that circumstance may be.
Your trial isn’t your biggest challenge; trusting God is. “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8 NKJV).
For that brave soul who trusts with an unwavering devotion to the Lord, he or she can go through anything with the grace and the peace that comes from heaven. There will be no fear in their eyes, and there will be no doubt in their hearts that the Lord is faithful to them.
Don’t let your fear of the world become bigger than your trust in God. “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You” (Psalm 56:3 NASB).
It’s on the other side of being crushed into a lump of clay that we will see the new vessel the Lord is forming us into. I always know someone who has been through a lot by the humble and peaceful spirit that I see within them. God is the Potter who can remake you.
Learn to let suffering complete its work in you before God might remove it. “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you [making you what you ought to be]” (1 Peter 5:10 AMP).
Blessed child of God, in whatever you are going through, you are not alone. You can trust the unseen God while staring at all that you see before you. As you learn to trust Him more, you will find more of the infinite love that He has for you.
Blessings to you, in whatever you are going through,
Paul Balius
What a timely word which I so much needed. Thank You, Lord Jesus for Your Love, Grace and Mercy in my life and thank you brother Paul for faithfully hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit. This word has given me added strength to carry on fully trusting in my Mighty Savior knowing that I am safe and secure in His Hands no matter what may come my way.
We are so blessed by our gracious God who carries us through every hardship. I am so humbled that the Lord would even notice me, and He most certainly notices you. Prayer for you on your journey with the Lord through the good and through the bad.